[Short Story] Neal Stephenson’s Atmosphaera Incognita – A story by Stephenson I read in … wait for it … under 45 minutes (with some flips back to earlier pages for context). What hasn’t changed is the somewhat outlandish renaissance protagonist who goes from being a religious studies major and real estate agent to structural engineering and coding expert in the span of 50 pages. Or I need new friends.
[Fiction] Red Rising by Pierce Brown. A friend (one I will keep) has been pestering me to read this book going on four years now. Fine, fine.
[Essay] Cory Doctorow on science-fiction fandom, John W Campbell“s legacy, and the price paid for sweeping bad conduct under the rug. Goes double for our scientific societies.
[Opinion] Should we make AI more human? by Center for Science and the Imagination’s Nina Miller
[Audiobook] The Conception of Terror: Tales inspired by M. R. James – Volume 1 – Not so terrifying given I listened to the roughly hour-long stories in peak Houston traffic. I recognized Pearl Mackie’s narration immediately – she is such a delight with her perky self-assurance. Overall better voice acting than stories.
[Non-fiction] Slowly straggling my way through Confederates In The Attic, Appomattox not yet in sight. Tony Horwitz tries so hard to report the modern (well, late 1990s) Confederate South such that the words and feelings of its people stand on their own, without judgment. I find it equally difficult on my part to find any common ground with that ethos from the vantage point of America In 2019, and without judgment.
